Yarn handling means



A g- .1954 J. w. MAY 2,687,853

YARN HANDLING MEANS Filed Aug. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ja/m/ My).

ATTORNEYS Aug. 31, 1954 J. w. MAY

YARN HANDLING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1951 INVENTOR.

JOHN IV. MA V.

. gun m ATTORNEYS Aug. 31, 1954 J, w, MAY 2,687,853

YARN HANDLING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 9, 1951 6 I I 3 wi i v I ATTORNE&

Patented Aug. 31, 1954 YARN HANDLING MEANS John W. May, Pendleton, S. 0., assignor to Deering Millikan Research Trust, Pendleton, S. 0., a nonprofit trust of Maine Application January 9, 1951, Serial No. 205,156

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in winding machines and more especially to a tailcutter for severing the tails of yarn which occur at the time yarn is introduced to a bobbin on a winding machine. This apparatus is particularly designed to be used on a machine of the type such as is manufactured by Universal Winding Company, and which is commonly known as a No. 90 Universal Winder, and is associated with and actuated by a conventional bunch builder such as the bunch builder used with this type of winder.

Winding machines of the type described are provided With spindles on which bobbins are manually mounted and onto which yarn is wound as the bobbins are rotated. In-mounting a bobbin on a conventional spindle, yarn is usually first placed around the spindle, and is then clamped between the base of the bobbin and the base of the spindle and then a conventional thread guide arm positions the yarn adjacent the bobbin as rotation is imparted to the bobbin to cause the yarn to be wound around the bobbin. Conven' tional traverse and precessional means are provided for causing the yarn to traverse the bobbin and to be wound thereon in a conventional manner. After the bobbin is completely wound it is removed from the spindle and the tail of the yarn extending around the base of the bobbin must then be severed. It is an object of this invention to provide means associated with the bunch builder of the winder for severing this tail of yarn prior to the completion of the winding operation.

Before winding the yarn on the bobbin in layers extending along the length of the bobbin, 2. bunch of yarn is wound about the bobbin adjacent the base thereof and this bunch comprises a plurality of convolutions of yarn and is relatively short in length, the bunch builder mechanism being provided for winding this bunch before the yarn is wound about the remaining portion of the bobbin. This bunch builder mechanism includes a thread guide attached to a thread guide arm which is adapted to position the yarn on the bobbin near the base thereof and the thread guide arm is attached to ratchet means having a ratchet feed pawl arm associated therewith which is actuated by the conventional traverse motion or yarn feed carriage at the end of each traverse stroke. When rotation is imparted to the spindle the transverse motion moves back and forth longitudinally of the spindle in a conventional manher, and at each end of its stroke it actuates the guide arm is then moved out of engagement with the yarn to permit the yarn to be wound on the bobbin according to the normal traverse and precessional movements of the winder.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tail-cutter associated with the thread guide arm of the bunch builder and actuated by the ratchet wheel which determines the size of the bunch, whereby the tail-cutter will be moved into closely spaced relation with the base of the bobbin during the building of the bunch to cut the tail of yarn extending across the base of the bobbin.

The bobbins used in winding are usually provided with a base portion having a plurality of spaced rings extending therearound and it is still another object of this invention to provide a tail-cutter having a plurality of concavities therein adapted to fit about the rings on the bobbin' and having projections between the cavities adapted to fit between the rings whereby, upon the tail cutter being moved into cutting position by the bunch builder, the projections will move between the rings on the bobbin base and cut the yarn extending across said rings.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tail-cutter of the type described associated with a bunch builder wherein the tail-cutter is moved toward the base of the bobbin in a step-by-step manner upon each movement of the ratchet wheel of the bunch builder to cause the tail-cutter to be moved into closely spaced relation to the rings on the bobbin during the bunch building operation to cut the tail of yarn extending thereacross, said tail-cutter being associated with the bunch builder in such a manner as to move outwardly away from the bobbin upon the thread guide being moved away from and out of engagement with the tail of yarn upon completion of the bunch building operation, so as to permit doffing of a fully wound bobbin and loading of a new empty bobbin without interference with the tail cutter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tail-cutter of such configuration as to operate equally effectively with either direction of rotation of the bobbin.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a winding machine and more especially of the usual bunch builder associated therewith and showing the improved tail-cutter mechanism associated therewith, with some of the parts broken away or omitted for purposes of clarity, and showing the parts as first positioned during the manual cocking operation;

Figure 2 is a top plan view similar to Figure 1 but showing the parts in fully cocked position with the driving and locking pawls in engagement with the ratchet wheel immediately prior to rotation of the spindle;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, of the improved tail-cutter associated with the bunch builder, with parts in section, and showing the parts after the ratchet wheel has been rotated approximately half the distance of its arc of movement and showing the tail-cutter in cutting position adjacent the base of the bobbin;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary schematic sectional plan view showing the ratchet wheel in the same position as it is shown in Figure 3 and showing the tail-cutter in cutting position with other parts being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the bunch builder and tail-cutter upon completion of the bunch building operation and showing the thread guide arm and tail-cutter in inoperative position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view tanken substantially along the line 66 in Figure 2;

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional plan View of the tail-cutter taken along the line 'l'! in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the tail-cutter, with parts in section, taken substantially along the line 88 in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the central portion of Figure 5, the ratchet wheel so being broken away to show the cam means associated therewith;

Figure 10 is an isometric view of the cover for the bunch builder and tail-cutter mechanism removed from the same.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral It! indicates the frame of a semi-automatic winding machine of the type having one or more spindles on which bobbins are positioned manually and including conventional means, not shown, for imparting rotation to the bobbins as yarn is wound thereon after the bobbins have been positioned on the spindles. The improved tail cutter is shown associated with a conventional bunch builder of a type associated with a winding machine of a type such as is manufactured by Universal Winding Company, Providence, Rhode Island, and which is known as a No. 90 winding machine. It is to be understood that the present invention may be used with other types of bunch builders and winding machines, the type of winding machine and bunch builder illustrated in the drawings being shown by way of illustration only.

The frame N3 of the winding machine includes a housing H which houses conventional means, not shown, for driving the various conventional parts of the machine. The housing H supports a conventional bobbin traverse bar 12 having a conventional yarn feed carriage l3, slidably mounted thereon, only a portion of the feed carriage l3 being shown in Figure l. The feed carriage i3 is used for directing yarn to the stem of a bobbin M which is adapted to be mounted on a conventional rotatable spindle l5 projecting from F the casing H.

The yarn feed carriage 13 moves back and forth on the bobbin traverse bar I2 during the winding operation. At the end of each stroke of the yarn feed carriage [3, it engages a conventional bunter 4 I6 secured by a stud I! to a ratchet feed pawl arm [8 of a bunch builder to be described. The bunter I6 is normally urged in a clockwise direction in Figure 3 by a conventional spring 28 to a position where it will be engaged by the yarn feed carriage it upon the completion thereby of each inward stroke or each stroke toward the housing H whereby the yarn feed carriage l3 will move the bunter l6 inwardly or toward the housing H at the end of each stroke.

The ratchet feed pawl arm i8 is a part of a bunch builder broadly designated at 22 having a base portion 23 and end walls 24 and 25. The ratchet feed pawl arm l8 extends through a slot in the end wall 24 and its movement is limited thereby. The bunch builder 22 is suitably secured to the upper surface of the housing II as by a screw 26. The bunch builder 22 may be provided with a removable cover 2'! (Figures 1, 3 and 10) which has a top portion 28, a rear wall 29, end walls 38 and ti and a front wall 32. The end walls 38 and 3i are cut away as at 33 and 34, respectively, and the front wall 32 is cut away as at 35 to permit various parts of the bunch builder and tail-cutter to project therethrough.

The bunch builder 22 is provided with a thread guide arm pivotally connected thereto by a thread guide arm stud M which, in the present invention, is substantially longer than is usual in the conventional bunch builder and extends substantially above the upper surface of the thread guide arm 40. The thread guide arm $8 is substantially L-shaped in plan and has a forwardly extending portion 460. and a rearwardly and laterally extending cam engaging portion 40b (Figure 9) having a curved outer surface adapted to engage a ratchet cam, to be described. The ratchet feed pawl arm 13 extends through the opening 33 in the cover 2! and through the slot, not shown, in the end wall 24 and is pivotally connected, adjacent its end remote from the bunter 16, to the portion 49a of the thread guide arm 48, as by a pawl arm stud 42. The end of the ratchet feed pawl arm l8 adjacent the pawl arm stud 42 has one end of a. tension spring 43 connected thereto, its other end being connected to the end wall 25 of the bunch builder 22 to thus normally urge the end of the ratchet feed pawl arm H3 having the hunter I6 thereon outwardly away from the housing H or in a counter-clockwise direction.

The thread guide arm 40 has a thread guide 45 adjustably secured thereto, as by screws 46, and the thread guide 45 is provided with a hook portion 41 adapted to direct yarn, such as yarn Y, from a suitable source, not shown, to the bobbin l4 adjacent the base thereof. The bunch builder 22 is provided with a conventional ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on the reduced upper end of a ratchet cam 55, the ratchet cam 5| being rotatably 'mounted on a ratchet stud 52 having a ratchet torsion spring 58 positioned therearound and normally urging the ratchet wheel 50 and ratchet cam 5! in a clockwise direction in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5. The ratchet wheel 56 has a stop 58a thereon, for purposes to be described, and the ratchet wheel 50 is adjustable on the ratchet cam 5| by means of set screws 53' and 54. The ratchet cam 5| has a lower cam portion 55 (Figures 6 and 9) which has a cut away cam surface 56 adapted to be engaged by the curved portion 49b on the rear extension of the thread guide arm 40 in a manner to be described. A washer 51 is disposed between the cam 55 and the base 23 of the bunch builder 22.

A locking ratchet pawl 60 has one end thereof pivotally mounted on the stud 4I, there being a suitable washer 6| disposed between the thread guide arm and the locking ratchet pawl 60. The other end of the ratchet pawl 60 is normally urged into engagement withthe teeth in the ratchet 50 by a tension spring 62. One end of the tension spring 62 is connected to the ratchet pawl 60 and its other end is connected to a driving ratchet pawl 63 (Figure 5) which is pivotally.

secured to the ratchet feed pawl arm, as at 64, and is adapted to engage the teethin the ratchet Wheel 50 for moving the ratchet wheel in a stepby-step manner in a counter-clockwise direction upon movement being imparted to the ratchet feed pawl arm I8 by movement of the yarn feed carriage I3 on the traverse bar I2.

In normal operation, the curved portion 40b of the thread guide arm 40 normally rides partially around the periphery of the cam 55 as the ratchet wheel 5!! is racked for a plurality of teeth untilthe cut away cam portion 56 is adjacent the arm 40b at which time the spring 43 will cause the arm 4% to move into the cut awaycam portion 55 to thus move the thread guide arm 40a and the associated thread guide 45 in a counterclockwise direction away from the bobbin I4. The ratchet wheel may be adjusted on the ratchet cam 5| to cause the arm 40b to move in a counterclockwise direction upon racking any desired number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 50, the locking pawl 60 being positioned adjacent the stop 50a at the start of the bunch building operation.

The parts heretofore described are conventional and it is with these parts that the present invention is adapted to be associated and it will be observed that, in operation, the arm 40b is in engagement with the periphery of the cam and, upon the yarn feeding carriage I3 reaching the end of its inward stroke on the traverse bar I2, the bunter IS on the ratchet feed pawl arm I8 will be engaged to move the ratchet feed pawl arm I8 inwardly toward the housing II to thus cause the driving pawl 63 to engage one tooth in the ratchet 5!! to move the ratchet one step in a counter-clockwise direction, at which time the spring pressed locking pawl will engage the first tooth in the ratchet wheel adjacent the stop 59a to hold the same against the tension of the torsion spring 58.

During this operation, the spindle I5 rotates and the yarn Y extends across the base of the bobbin forming a yarn tail T (Figure 4) and then the yarn is wound around the bobbin adjacent the base thereof as may be observed in Figure 5 to form a bunch. The thread guide 45 limits the traverse of the yarn Y and directs the yarn Y to the bobbin I4 adjacent the base thereof to build the bunch as is well known to those familiar with the art.

Upon a plurality of said steps in rotation being transmitted to the ratchet 50 and to permit yarn Y to be wound in a bunch around the bobbin I4 adjacent the base thereof, the arm 4% will engage the cam surface 56 of the cam 51 and the spring 43 will cause the arm 45b to move in a counter-clockwise direction to move the thread guide 45 away from the bobbin I4 (Figure 5) to thu permit the yarn to be wound around the bobbin I4 in a conventional manner in a plurality of layers, the yarn feed carriage I3 causing the yarn to traverse the bobbin in a conventional manner. I

Bobbins I4 of the type adapted to be used with this winder usually have a base portion I0 provided with a plurality of. spaced rings II thereonl and the base portion III of the bobbin I4 is adapted to fit against a base portion 12 of the spindle I5. Now, as the bobbin I4 is placed on the spindle I5, the yarn to be wound thereon is usually placed between the base ID of the bobbin I4 and the base I2 of the spindle I5 to thus subsequently be clamped thereby. The spindle I5 is then caused to rotate by the usual manually controlled means, notshown, and the position of the thread guide is such thattheyarnY then extends in a spiral of relatively large pitch'across the rings II on, the bobbin base III, as may be observed in Figure 4, and is first wound around the bobbin I4 in a bunch following which it is wound about the remainder of the stem of the bobbin. During or after the winding operation, the yarn tail T extending across the base, of the bobbin must be severed and I have provided a yarn tail-cutter adapted to be associated with the bunch builder for severing this yarn tail T dur-. ing the bunch building operation so that, upon;

completion of the winding operation, the bobbin may be removed from the spindle I5 and the yarn tail will already have been severed immediately adjacent the juncture of the stem and base of the bobbin,

To this end, there is provided a tail-cutter actuating lever pivotally connected to the thread guide arm stud'4l, as by a nut 8I, there being a washer 82 disposed between the nut BI and tailcutter actuating lever 80 and an enlarged portion 83 on the stud 4| is disposed between the tailcutter actuating lever 30 and the upper surface of the ratchet locking pawl 60 (Figure 6). The tail-cutter actuating lever 80 extends outwardly from the housing II and has a substantially L-' shaped retaining lever 85 adjustably secured thereto. The retaining lever 85 has an adjustment slot 86 therein which is penetrated by an adjustment screw 81 to permit adjustment of theretaining lever 85 relative to the tail-cutter actu ating lever 80.

The retaining lever 85 extends toward the bobbin I4 and has a leg 88 which extends inwardly toward the ratchet 5B. The set screw 54, provided for adjusting the ratchet 50 relative to the cam 5 I, has a head which is longer than the conventional set screw used for this purpose, and this head extends upwardly into the same horizontal plane as the leg 88 of the retaining lever 85 and is adapted to, at times, be engaged by this leg 88 of the lever 85 for purposes to be presently described.

. The tail-cutter actuating lever 80' extends beyond the screw 81 and has a diagonally extending slot 9| in the free end thereof. The length of the slot 9| may be varied by means of a dog 92 adjustably mounted on the tail-cutter actuating lever 88, as by a screw 92. A tension spring 94 has one end thereof connected to the tail-cutter actuating lever 80 adjacent the stud M and has its other end secured to the end wall 25 of the bunch builder 22 to normally urge the tail-cutter actuating lever 80 in a counter-clockwise direction.

Referring to Figures 3, 4,- 6, 7 and 8, there will be observed a tail-cutter broadly designated at I00 which is supported by a tail-cutter bracket IIlI having a flange I02 and a flange I83 disposed in-substantially right-angular relation to each other (Figure 6). The flange I02 is secured tothe lower surface of the'thread guide 45 and the thread guide arm 40 by means of the screws 46 which adjustably secure the thread guide 45 to the thread guide arm 40. The depending flange I03 of the bracket IOI has a tail=cutter arm I05 and is retained on the stud I by a pin I01, this preferably being spaced from the flange I03 so as to permit a slight end-play of the tailecutter I00. The tail-cutter arm I05 has a fl nge porn tion I In of a substantially rectangular blade I II secured thereto or formed integral therewith (Figures 6, 7 and 8). The blade III has a slot Ill therein which is penetrated by an adjust ment screw I I3 for securing a tailecutter member Ill to the blade III in the desired adjusted posi tion. The slot H2 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bobbin and. thus allows the cutter to be quickly adjusted to any commercial bobbin regardless of the bobbins condition of wear.

The tail-cutter member II5 has an angularly projecting portion I I6 extending therefrom which is provided with a plurality of spaced cavities I II which are substantially semi-circular and define a plurality of projections II8 therebetween, the projections II8 being adapted to enterbetween the rings ll on the base I0 01 a bobbin I4 in a tailcutting operation. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the slope of the innerwall of each concavity II! on the side of a projection H8 remote from the stud 4| is greater than that of the wall on the other side of a projection. This configuration insures that the projections H8 will enter between the rings II when the cutter member is rotated about the stud H as an axis during the resetting operation.

In order to limit the amount of pivotal movement of the tail-cutter blade I II and cutting member II5, there is provided an upwardly extending pin I20 which has its lower end secured to the tail-cutter arm I05 and extends upwardly and slidably penetrates the diagonally extending slot ill in the tail-cutter actuating lever 00 and also has oscillatory movement in said slot during the cutting operation.

In operation, when the tail-cutter member H5 is moved into cutting position, it is preferable that the projections H8 extend between the rings II on the base of the bobbin I4 but not in engagement with the bobbin base 10, the walls of the cavities I I! being positioned in closely spaced relation to the rings II but not in engagement therewith to thus prevent wear and damage to the rings TI and the bobbin base 70. The retaining lever 85 may be adjusted relative to the tailcutter actuating lever- 80 by means 01 the adjustment screw 8! to limit movement of the actuator lever 00. The oscillatory movement of the pin I20 in the slot 9| in the tail-cutter actuating lever 80 may be limited by means of the dog 92 and the tail-cutter member I I5 may be adjusted relative to the tail-cutterblade III by means of the adjustment screw II3 to insure the proper positioning of the tail-cutter member II5 during the tail-cutting operation.

In operation, when an empty bobbin I4 is placed on the spindle I5, the bunch builder is cocked by manually moving the thread guide 45 to the leIt or in a clockwise direction so far as it will go as shown in Figure 1. This operation disengages both the driving and locking pawls 63 and 60, respectively, and allows the ratchet wheel 50 to rotate, by means of the torsion spring 58, in a clockwise direction to starting position with the stop 59a thereof in engagement with the locking pawl I30. Movement of the thread guide 45 to the, left, from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 1, also engages the tail-cutter member H5 with the rings H on the 8 bobbin base 10 and moves the upper end of the cutter pin I20 to the left also. The adjustable retaining lever 85 is so set as to provide a slight clearance between the inside edge of the leg thereof and the longvheaded set screw 54 on the ratchet cam 5I. When the parts are moved to this position they offer no opposition to the ratchet resetting motion.

Upon release of the thread guide 45 by an operator, it will rotate slightly to the right or in a counter-clockwise direction, from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 2, which engages both the driving and looking pawls G3 and 80, respectively, with the ratchet wheel 50, the parts then being properly positioned for the bunch building operation. The first part of this slight motion causes the inside edge of the leg 88 of the retaining lever to engage the longeheaded screw 54 in the ratchet cam 5| thereby arresting further motion of the tailoutter actuating lever 80 to which the retaining lever 85 is attached. This slight counter-clockwise motion of lever 85 also rocks the tail-cutter member I I5 away from the rings II on the bobbin base ill, as will be observed in Figure 2, so that the cutter member II5 will not sever the yarn before it starts to wind onto the bobbin.

With the parts in this position, rotation is imparted to the spindle I5 to start building the bunch around the bobbin I4. Irrespective of the direction of rotation of the spindle, upon each stroke of the yarn feed carriage I3 inwardly, a step in rotation will be imparted to the ratchet wheel 58 in the manner heretofore described to cause the long-headed set screw 54, engaged by the leg 88 of the retaining lever 05, to move in a countersolockwise direction and toward the stud 42 to. thereby impart step-bystep movement to the tail cutter member II5 toward the rings II on the bobbin base I0 because oi the pin I20 in slot 9I, which causes the tail-cutter I00 to rock on the pin I08 (see Figure 8).

As the bunch building operation progresses, the tailec-utter member H5 is moved closer to the rings TI and upon substantially half of the bunch being completed, in this instance, six traverse cycles or step-by-step movements of the ratchet wheel 50 in a counter-clockwise direction, the long=headed screw 54 will have moved away from the leg 88 of the retaining lever 85 and the spring 8k attached to the actuating lever 80 will have moved that lever counter-clockwise to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. This rotation of the actuating lever 80 will move the tail-cutter pin I26 until the projections H8 of the cutter member II5 have been positioned on both sides of the bobbin rings ll thereby severing the yarn tail T.

The cutter member H5 is not actually in engagement against the rings TI on the bobbin base 70 because further movement of the tail cutter pin I20 in the slot 9| of the actuating lever 80 is arrested by the adjustable dog 92 which, determines the length of the slot 9I in the actuating lever 89. This adjustable slot feature prevents. wear of the bobbin base l0 and rings II by the cutter member II5 and also allows adjustment for various diameters of bobbin bases.

Upon completion of the bunch building operation, which in this instance, is the completion of twelve traverse cycles, the ratchet wheel 50 will have been racked counter-clockwise a corresponding number of teeth, in this instance twelve teeth, to the trip position. At this point. the, arm 40b of the thread guide arm 40 moves into the out away portion 56 of the cam 55 to permit the spring 43 to rapidly move the thread guide 45 to inoperative position along with the ratchet feed pawl arm [8. The thread guide 45 then carries the tail-cutter I with it to a position where the filled bobbin may be doifed and a new bobbin placed on the spindle without engaging the tailcutter I00.

The tail-cutter assembly in no way affects the amount of bunch as determined by the ratchet setting before tripping. Regardless of the ratchet setting, the long-headed screw 54 is always in substantially the position shown in Figure 5, since release of the thread guide 45 and the slot 85 and adjustment screw 81 permit adjustment of the retaining lever 85 consistent with the reset position of the ratchet.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved tail-cutter for semi-automatic winding machines which is easily adapted to existing machines, which is independent of the direction of rotation of the spindle and which will move into operative position automatically after only a few convolutions of yarn have been wound onto a bobbin thus obviating the necessity of this operation beonly and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder associated therewith for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, yarn tail-cutter means carried by said bunch builder and means automatically operable in response to the action of said builder to move said first means into position to sever the tail of yarn which extends across the base of the bobbin.

2. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle onto which a bobbin having a stem and a base thereon is adapted to be placed for F winding yarn thereon and also having means for clamping the tail of the yarn at the base of the bobbin as it is placed on the spindle and also having means for imparting rotation to the spindle and having a bunch builder including a thread guide movable into position adjacent the juncture of the base and stem of the bobbin and also having means for withdrawing the thread guide of the bunch builder automatically upon a predetermined number of convolutions of yarn being wound about the bobbin, an improvement in the bunch builder including a tail-cutter carried by the thread guide for cutting the tail of yarn which extends across the base of the bobbin as the yarn is directed to the stem of the bobbin, cam means controlled by the bunch builder for moving the tail-cutter during the bunch building operation into operative position for severing the tail of yarn and means for automatically moving the tail-cutter away from the bobbin as the thread guide is withdrawn.

3. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings onthe bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tail-cutter comprising a tail-cutter member carried by said yarn guide, means normally holding the tail-cutter member in substantially spaced relation to the base portion of said bobbin, means responsive to movement of said ratchet as effected by the pawl for moving the tail-cutter member into operative position closely adjacent the base portion of the bobbin for severing the tail of yarn and means automatically operable following said movement of the tail-cutter member into operative position for moving the tail-cutter away from the base portion of the bobbin.

4. In a winding machine having a rotatable spindle onto which a bobbin having a base provided with spaced rings thereon is adapted to be mounted, and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base of the bobbin and the spindle, said winding machine also having a bunch builder including a yarn guide adapted to be cooked to operative position by an operator and also having a ratchet wheel and a ratchet pawl and also having means automatically operable for actuating said pawl for moving the ratchet wheel and also having means controlled by the ratchet wheel for moving said yarn guide into inoperative position following the winding of at least a portion of a bunch of yarn on the bobbin and whereby the yarn will extend across said rings onthe base of the bobbin, an improvement in the bunch builder comprising a tail-cutter pivotally carried by the yarn guide of the'bunch builder, mechanical means for rocking said tail-cutter, means on the ratchet wheel for actuating the said mechanical means to normally hold the tail-cutter out of engagement with the base of the bobbin, means automatically operable upon a relatively few convolutions of yarn being wound about the bobbin for releasing said mechanical means from the means on the ratchet wheel and spring means for urging said mechanical means in a predetermined direction to cause the tail-cutter to be rocked into position to engage and sever the tail of yarn extending across the base of the bobbin and whereby said tail-cutter will be moved into inoperative position upon the yarn guide being moved to inoperative position at the completion of a bunch building operation.

5. In a winding machine for winding yarn onto bobbins, each of said bobbins having'a base and a stem and. rings encircling the base of the bobbin and wherein a tail of yarn extends across said rings as it is initially directed to the bobbin, said winding machine having a manually cocked cam released spring-loaded bunch building yarn guide and also having automatically operable means for imparting rotation to said cam for releasing the yarn guide upon a bunch of yarn of the desired size being wound about the bobbin, an improvement in the winding machine comprising a tail-cutter oscillatably mounted on the yarn guide on an axis parallel to the axis of said bobbin, a cutter member depending from the tailcutter and provided with at least one projection, said projection normally being disposed substantially radially of the axis of the bobbin, a tailcutter actuating lever pivotally mounted on the bunch builder and having a slot in the free end thereof, said tail-cutter having a pin on the upper end thereof projecting upwardly through said slot in the tail-cutter actuating lever, a stud projecting from said cam in oil-center relation to the axis of the cam, a retaining lever secured intermediate the ends of the tail-cutter actuating lever and having a leg extending outwardly therefrom and spring means connected to the tail-cutter actuating lever so as to normally urge said leg of the retaining lever into engagement with the stud on said cam when the yarn guide of the bunch builder is moved into cocked position, said leg of the retaining lever when in engagement with the stud on said cam serving to hold the depending cutter member in a position spaced substantially from the base of the bobbin whereby, upon partial rotation of said cam with its stud thereon, the stud will move about the axis of the cam away from the leg of the retaining lever and said spring means associated with the actuating lever will cause the retaining lever to move with the stud for a predetermined distance to thus rock the tail-cutter on its axis to move the cutter member into operative position where its projection will enter between the rings on the base of the bobbin for severing the tail of yarn extending thereacross upon rotation of the bobbin.

6. The structure according to claim wherein said pin on the tail-cutter is engageable by the end of the wall of said slot in the tail-cutter actuating lever nearest the pivot point thereof as said tail-cutter actuating lever is urged away from the bobbin to thus cause the tail-cutter member to be cooked into operative position.

'7. The structure according to claim 6 including means for regulating the size of said slot in the tail-cutter actuating lever to determine the point at which the wall of said slot will engage the pin on the tail-cutter for controlling the displacement between the tail-cutter member and the base of the bobbin when the tail-cutter member is rocked into operative position.

8. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine also having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings on the bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tail-cutter carried by said bunch builder comprising a tail-cutter bracket secured to said yarn guide, a tail-cutter arm oscillatably mounted on said tail-cutter bracket, a blade carried by said tail-cutter arm and having a cutter member adjustably secured thereto, said cutter member having a plurality of concavities therein defining a plurality of spaced projections adapted to fit between the rings on said bobbin and means on said bunch builder for moving said tail-cutter into operative position during the bunch building operation to cause said cutter member to sever the tail of yarn extending across said rings and whereby said tail-cutter will move into inoperative position upon said yarn guide moving into inoperative position.

9. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine also having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings on the bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tailcutter carried by said bunch builder comprising a tail-cutter bracket secured to said yarn guide, a tail-cutter arm oscillatably mounted on said tail-cutter bracket, a cutter member carried by said tail-cutter arm and adapted to move into closely spaced relation to said rings on said bobbin to sever the yarn extending thereacross, a tail-cutter actuating member pivoted on said bunch builder and having an adjustable slot in the free end thereof, said tail-cutter arm having a pin therein extending through the slot in said tail-cutter actuating member, said slot serving to limit oscillation of said tail-cutter arm whereby the tail-cutter member will be oscillated into operative position by the tail-cutter actuating member during the bunch building operation and will move into inoperative position upon the yarn guide moving into inoperative position.

10. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine also having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings on the bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tail-cutter carried by said bunch builder comprising a tail-cutter bracket secured to said yarn guide, a tail-cutter arm oscillatably mounted on said tail-cutter bracket, a cutter member carried by said tail-cutter arm and adapted to move into closely spaced relation to said rings on said bobbin to sever the yarn extending thereacross, a tail-cutter actuating member pivotally mounted on said bunch builder and having an adjustable slot in the free end thereof, said tail-cutter arm having a pin therein extending through the slot in said tail-cutter actuating member, said slot serving to limit oscillation of said tail-cutter arm by said tail-cutter actuating member, a retaining arm adjustably mounted on said tail-cutter actuating member causing the same to hold the tail-cutter member in substantially spaced relation to said bobbin at the commencement of the bunch building operation whereby the tail-cutter member will be oscillated into operative position by the tail-cutter actuating member during the bunch building operation and will move into inoperative position upon the yarn guide moving into inoperative position.

11. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine also having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings on the bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tail-cutter carried by said bunch builder comprising a tail-cutter bracket secured to said yarn guide, a tail-cutter arm oscillatably mounted on said tail-cutter bracket, a cutter member carried by said tailcutter arm, a tail-cutter actuating member carried by said bunch builder, a retaining arm adjustably mounted on said tail-cutter actuating member and serving to position the cutter members in spaced relation to said bobbin at the commencement of the bunch building operation and said tail-cutter actuating member serving to move said cutter member into operative position during the bunch building operation to sever the yarn extending across the rings on said bobbin and said yarn guide serving to move said cutter memher into inoperative position at the completion of the bunch building operation.

12. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a spindle for receiving a bobbin onto which yarn is to be wound, each bobbin having a base portion provided with a plurality of spaced rings therearound and wherein a tail of yarn is clamped between the base portion of the bobbin and the spindle, said machine also having a bunch builder for directing yarn to the bobbin adjacent the base portion thereof to form a tail of yarn extending across said rings on the bobbin and said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, a tail-cutter carried by said bunch builder comprising a tailcutter bracket secured to said yarn guide, a tailcutter arm oscillatably mounted on said tailcutter bracket, a cutter member carried by said tail-cutter arm and adapted to move into closely spaced relation to said rings on said bobbin to sever the yarn extending thereacross, means actuated by said bunch builder for moving said tailcutter into operative position during the bunch building operation and said yarn guide serving to move said tail-cutter into inoperative position upon the completion of the bunch building operation.

13. A tail cutter for machines for winding yarn on bobbins having a base and stem, in which the yarn tail extends across said base at the start of the winding and is secured to travel with the base, said machines being of the type having a bunch building mechanism including a thread guide for directing yarn onto said bobbin during the building of the bunch and means for rendering said guide inoperative upon the completion of said bunch, comprising a cutter member dependent from said guide, and means actuated by said first-named means to move said member into engagement with said tail to sever the same.

14. An improvement in a machine for winding yarn about the stem of a revolving bobbin, the end of said yarn extending across the base of said bobbin at the initiation of said windin and being secured to travel with the bobbin, said machine being provided with an arm engaging said yarn to restrict the extent of travelthereof along said stem, and means operable after a predetermined number of revolutions of said bobbin to disengage said arm from said yarn, comprising means carried by said arm movable to sever said yarn end at the base of said bobbin, and means responsive to said operable means to actuate said severing means.

15. In a semi-automatic winding machine for winding yarn onto revolving bobbins having a base portion of the type in which the yarn tail extends across the base portion at the start of the winding and is secured to revolve therewith, said machine having a bunch builder mechanism including a thread guide engageable by the yarn for restricting the travel thereof along the bobbin and means for moving said thread guide to inoperative position, a yarn tail cutter carried by said thread guide, means actuated by said last-named means for moving a portion of said tail cutter into close proximity to said bobbin for engaging and severing the yarn tail, and means for automatically moving the tail cutter away from the bobbin upon completion of the bunch build.

16. In a semi-automatic winding machine for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base portion and in which the yarn initially extends across the base portion and is secured to travel with the base portion, said machine having a bunch builder for building a bunch of yarn on said bobbin adjacent the base thereof, a yarn tail cutter carried by said bunch builder, means actuated by said bunch builder for automatically moving said tail cutter into close proximity to the base portion of said bobbin for severing the yarn extending thereacross, and means actuated in response to the actuation of said bunch builder to move said tail cutter away from said bobbin upon completion of the bunch build.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,351,472 Beckman June 13, 1944 2,575,015 Hendricks Nov. 13, 1951 

